Residents call for police patrols as job losses jeopardise private security

Cuchawan Trace resident Ganess Ramdeen on Tuesday urged government ministers, including his MP for Oropouche East, Dr Roodal Moonilal, to restore police patrols in the area, as many residents can no longer afford private security due to widespread job losses.

Ramdeen said numerous residents who had been employed in the URP, CEPEP, and Ministry of Works programmes are now unemployed and unable to keep up with monthly contributions toward the neighbourhood’s private security service.

Speaking during a public consultation on the Government’s proposed stand-your-ground legislation, Ramdeen appealed directly to the panel, which included Dr Moonilal, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Darrell Allahar, and Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander.

“I’m from Cuchawan Trace in Oropouche East—born and raised,” Ramdeen said. “Mr Minister, it’s a great pleasure having you in our area to hear our voices. We need someone to take action on what we’re saying.”

He explained that residents of Cuchawan Trace, Chester Street, and Somai Trace previously benefitted from community patrols, but those services no longer exist. As a result, residents organised and began collecting $100 per household to fund private security patrols from 10 pm to 5 am.

“We go house to house in Cuchawan Trace, Ramsamooj Trace, Chester Street, Somai Trace, and surrounding areas to collect money to protect ourselves. But it’s becoming unfair. Many people in these areas used to work URP, CEPEP, or Ministry of Works—and now they’re out of jobs,” he said.

“Right now, when I ask a single parent for $100, they say, ‘We have to buy school books, how we going to protect.’ This is a crisis we’re facing, and I’m speaking on behalf of the people here today because it’s the first time we’ve had a minister in front of us to hear what’s happening on our streets.”

Ramdeen said the area might not get Government attention because it doesn’t regularly make headlines, as crime has been kept down thanks to privately funded security measures maintained over the last 18 months.

“But now it’s getting harder to make payments. The police should be patrolling these areas again—to take the burden off the people,” he said.

Ramdeen also voiced frustration over the limited and ineffective presence of police in the community.

“Mr Minister, when police come out here, they don’t pass through Cuchawan, Ramsamooj, Chester, or Somai Trace. You know when they show up? From 7 am to 8 am, just to hand out traffic tickets—400 of them!” he claimed.

He described a situation where elderly residents trying to drop off their grandchildren for school, with no designated car park available, are ticketed by police.

“That’s what they’re doing! That’s their work! That’s what the police doing in Debe—8 am come, they pack up and they gone!” he said angrily.

Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander later addressed the issue, saying even small bits of information, such as data from traffic tickets, can sometimes lead to breakthroughs in solving more serious crimes.